19 Mile Run

Today was my 37th birthday. What better way to celebrate than waking up and running 19 miles?

I find that before each run I have the same apprehension...can I really do this? On paper it seems like such a long way. Then I recall the previous runs of 15, 16 and 17 miles. They seemed so far at the time but now I wish I was only going 17 miles. Somehow, it seems hard to believe that I even completed those runs because those seem like large numbers. This morning I fought the disbelief by telling myself it was going to be like a day at work...a few hours of putting one foot in front of the other and then you're home.

Its significantly cooler now. Last week it was 85 degrees or more when I started my 18 mile run. It was 95 degrees a couple of hours later at mile 11 when I decided I had better stop. Today it was around 75 degrees when I started and it felt cold. I was glad because I knew I would have the stamina I need.

On todays run I also realized that preloading with 16 ounces of water 2 hours before I run is counterproductive...just ask a couple of unfortunate trees on the trail!

After failing to complete last week's long run, I decided to return to the strategy that worked in the past. That is breaking the marathon down into segments of 10-10-10 (10 miles, 10 miles, 10k), running so slow at the beginning that I think I am going too slow and not listening to the iPod until at least the five mile mark. The return to those principles and strategies worked well. At the beginning I just concentrated on going slow and relaxing and before I was even aware of it I was at the 5 mile mark. I actually didn't turn on the iPod until the 6.5 mile mark when I noticed my mind wandering and my speed slipping and decided I needed the music to keep up my cadence. I felt quite fresh at the ten mile mark and looked forward to the next ten miles. Finally, I was very glad at the finish that I had started out slow because I really was tired at the end and can't imagine what would have happened if I started out too fast.

I was passed three times by the same car on the dike road. A guy and his young son kept passing me in the car. They were grinning the third time they passed me as if to say "I can't believe you are still our here!"

When I finished the run my legs felt like jello. It was all I could do to stumble to the park bench and lay down. I stared up at the sky for about ten minutes before gathering my strength and walking to my car. I headed to Dairy Queen for a green Arctic Blast before driving home.

I still can't believe I ran 19 miles.

Monday Morning Trail Run

I love Monday morning! Well, basically there are two days that I love to run most--Monday morning and Friday morning. Monday morning is the mountain run. There is a 3 mile trail with about 700 feet of elevation outside my door (I live on a little mountain). On Monday morning I get up, run the trail and the best part is I get to go home and put some ice on my legs and go back to bed! For about 45 minutes then I got to get up and go to work but aside from Saturday its the only run where I get to go back to sleep.

I like Friday morning because they sell breakfast at work. If I work out early then I feel better about buying eggs, hashbrowns and extra bacon. I'd still buy it anyway but if I work out I feel better about it...

Nervous!

I just registered for the Quad Cities Marathon on September 26 which is like 44 days or so away. More importantly I bought the tickets so I am for sure going! But I am NERVOUS as heck! I think it is half scared I can't do this nervous and half super excited that my 10 month recovery from ankle injury is almost officially over (its officially over when I run a marathon injury free).

So I figure I will be aiming for 5 hours which is 11:27 pace or so. I think this is pretty doable for 5 hours but we'll see. I hope there will be a pacer there I can just hook up with them and then use my cadences to keep up and 5 hours later go back to the hotel and chow down at the buffet.

Anyway, now I got to do my training and get ready to do this thing!

Almost there (but not quite yet...)

The first big training goal is in sight now...a twenty mile run. Its still three weeks away but its now scheduled for this training cycle. Its been almost ten months since I almost broke my ankle at the Remembrance Day run. I wasn't even sure I'd run again ever but have proven to myself that I can. Now I need to fight the good fight and finish the training.

16 Miles

Sweet 16! Supposedly only happens once but I had another chance today as I ran 16 miles for the first time ever in my life.

I was excited to get up and get going this morning as the weather called for clear and +30 degrees. I wanted to be heading home before the real heat started. Even though I slept on the floor last night I was up at 730AM with high hopes of getting out the door by 800AM but actually didn't make it out until 900AM. Which meant that it was plenty warm by the time I started.

I also tried out some new equipment today. I have finally given in and purchased a fuel belt with two bottle clips. I upgraded to the large bottles today. In addition to water, I also carry my cell phone and a small pouch with my car keys with me. So I have this bulky belt around my waist when I start. I also tried out my $4 Canada cap to keep the sun out of my eyes instead of my usual toque.

The long runs are supposed to be marathon simulations. The marathon race plan is to run the race in 3 sections: 10 miles - 10 miles - 10 km. The goal is to to get to twenty miles fresh enough to knock out a 55 minute 10km to finish the race. Anyway, with that in mind, my long runs are supposed to start out slow. No ipod until 5 miles which is where I get my first drink. The ipod cadences are deliberately slow. No sprinting or strides. Just a steady pace so that I'm fresh at the end of the run. Drink water at 5 miles, 8 miles, 10 miles and 13 miles.

The trail is naturally divided into three sections: the well groomed riverfront (about 3 miles), the forest trail (2.5 miles) which has small rolling knolls and bridges, and the dyke road (5 miles) which is gravel with no shade. Each section has its own character. The dyke road most resembles what I think Bataan will look like so I prefer to run here.

Anyway, I finally had some company on the dyke road. Some guy passed me just as the forest trail was ending. He wasn't going that much faster so I was able to keep him in sight. I suppressed the urge to race and catch him, instead using this rare opportunity to train for the marathon. I expect lots of people to pass me in the first ten miles of the marathon, the trick is seeing how many I can pass back before the finish. If he is truly supposed to be ahead of me at the end he will be, otherwise I'll eventually catch him. And that's exactly what happened. About one mile into the five mile dyke road section he stopped. I was only about 2 minutes behind him. He stood with his hands on his knees sucking wind while I just ran on by. If I had wanted to race him back to the start it would have been over very quickly, but I still had four miles to go before I was turning around. Still...it was nice to have company for a short time on that section of road. It is usually a fairly solitary undertaking.

The rest of the run was fairly uneventful. I did start feeling a little sluggish around mile 14. A few thoughts of walking crept into my mind but I recognized what was happening. I told myself that "this is when you gotta grind" and tried to pick up my pace. It took a half a mile or so but eventually I got my wind back and even tried a push at the end. When I was done, I propped my legs up on a park bench and laid on the ground staring up at the sky.

The Long Runs

Last weekend I finally ran what I consider to be a long run...15 miles. I had previously thought that 10 miles was a long run, but that was when I was training for 10K races. Now I am working up to 20 miles every Saturday to get ready for the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon.

I've learned a few things so far. One main thing is that 26.2 miles is a long way! My legs felt like jello at the end of the 15 miles and I was proud I did it but I had to step back and realize that if this was the marathon I'd still have 11.2 miles to go!

I've learned to appreciate the beauty of my little mountain town. The Rotary Trail in Chilliwack offers beautiful views of the Vedder river, the mountains, great blue herons flying in formation and bald eagles. Yes, there is the occasional snake crossing the road too.

Its a nice milestone but the real milestone will be my first twenty miler which is six weeks away.

Recovery

I haven't posted in a while. Mainly because of my injury. After a frustrating 6 weeks off during which time I never thought I would run again, and another 3 months running low mileage, I can finally say my foot feels great and I am ready to train hard again.